From this system of nomenclature all the others belonging to the
classificatory group have, according to Mr. Morgan, been gradually
developed. The system of the Two-Mountain Iroquois differs from that
of the Hawaiians essentially in two respects only, the mother’s
brother being distinguished by a special term, and so also a sister’s
children. The Micmac system is somewhat more advanced. Not only does
a man call his sister’s son his nephew, but a woman applies the same
term to her brother’s son; and not only is a mother’s brother termed
an uncle, but also the father’s sister is distinguished by a special
term, as an aunt. A father’s brother is called a “little father;”
and a mother’s sister, a “little mother.” Still more advanced is the
system of the Wyandots, which may be regarded as the typical system of
the Indians.[439] A mother’s brother’s son and a father’s sister’s son
are no longer called by the same terms as brothers, but are recognized
as cousins; and women apply to their mother’s brother’s grandsons no
longer the same term as to their sons, but call them nephews.
It is needless to enter into further details. Those who shrink from
the trouble of reading through Mr. Morgan’s extensive tables, will
find an excellent summary of them in the fifth chapter of Sir John
Lubbock’s great work on ‘The Origin of Civilization.’ It may, however,
be added that the most advanced system of the classificatory group is
that of the Karens and Eskimo, which differs from our own in three
respects only. The children of cousins are termed nephews; the children
of nephews, grandchildren; and a grandfather’s brothers and sisters,
respectively, grandfathers and grandmothers. “Hence,” says Sir John
Lubbock, “though the Karens and Eskimo have now a far more correct
system of nomenclature than that of many other races, we find, even in
this, clear traces of a time when these peoples had not advanced in
this respect beyond the lowest stage.”[440]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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